DELTA Airlines Carry On Sizes, Weight & Limits Guide [2021]

Every passenger traveling on Delta air lines is allowed to bring one carry-on bag and another personal item for free. The personal item may be a laptop bag, a purse, or anything else having a similar size. You must ensure that at least one of the two items can fit below the seat in front of you. If you are thinking about bringing a large bag or a roll-aboard suitcase, ensure that it meets the size requirements for storing it inside the overhead bin space. There are exceptions applicable for passengers who are carrying an infant while traveling.

Carrying On a Personal Item

There are specific guidelines that you need to follow while bringing a carry-on on Delta air lines. Certain personal items are approved as a carry-on. These also include free-to-carry items such as safety seats for children.

Approved Personal Items

If you are going to bring a personal item, you should make sure it belongs to the following list or has a similar size so that you can store it under the seat in front of you:

  • One briefcase, purse, camera bag, diaper bag, or a small backpack
  • One laptop bag (you cannot check-in computers unless otherwise specifically directed by security)
  • One item that has a size similar to or smaller than the ones listed

Free Items to Carry On

In addition to your usual carry-on items, Delta air lines allow you to bring certain items into your flight for free. For larger items such as strollers, you can take the help of flight attendants. These are the following items you can bring:

  • An umbrella or a jacket
  • Any drinks or food you have purchased after going through the security checkpoint
  • Any duty-free merchandise
  • Special items like wheelchairs, strollers, child safety seats, assistive items such as crutches, and so on

Delta Air Lines Carry-On Size & Weight Restrictions

You can bring items like a roll-aboard bag for long-trips or a duffel for an overnight stay. You can easily store them in the overhead bin. Ensure you adhere to the restrictions so that you do not face any inconvenience while boarding on Delta air lines.

Carry-On Size Restrictions

The bag you are going to bring should meet these baggage size requirements. The reference sizes are also displayed at the gates and ticket counters at Delta air lines.

  • The combined width, height, and length of the baggage should not be more than 45 liner inches (114 cm)
  • The individual width, height, and length measurements must not be more than 22 by 14 by 9 inches (56 cm by 35 cm by 23 cm).

The measurements take into account any wheels or handle your baggage might have. These restrictions, however, do not apply to any small musical instruments that can fit within the overhead or under-seat storage space.

Carry-On Weight Restrictions

There are no maximum weight restrictions applied to carry-on baggage except for a few locations:

  1. Singapore, Singapore – Changi International Airport (SIN): The carry-on weight should not be more than 15lbs (7kg).
  1. Beijing, China – Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK): According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the size of domestic hand-carry bags should not be more than 10 kg. For international flights, individual carrier rules are applicable.
  1. Shanghai, China – Pudong International Airport (PVG): the weight of carry-on should not go higher than 22lbs (10kg)

Other Carry On Details

  • It may happen that the bag you are carrying on Delta air lines does not fit within the overhead bin space, or the flight is full and is therefore short on overhead space. In that case, you can get a gate agent or flight attendant to assist you by checking your bags at the gate.
  • If you are traveling on Delta Connection flights, you can only bring personal items on board since the aircraft will have limited overhead storage space. It also includes flights with 50 or fewer seats.
  • Any personal items you are bringing must be able to be securely stored under the seat in front of you or within the overhead bins. Some carry-on bags may be checked at the gate for free during the boarding process for crowded flights. They will return it to you after deplaning. Make sure that a pink Gate Claim or Planeside tag has been attached securely to the carry-on item. These restrictions do not apply to assistive devices.
  • For information regarding irregular or potentially hazardous items (for example, razors or knitting needles), you can consult the TSA, which will have the updated guidelines and regulations.

Things Allowed in Your Carry-On

You can carry many different things in your bag or carry-on while traveling on Delta air lines. However, it would be best if you are always sure whether what you are carrying is safe for you. There are restrictions on the size of containers that have gels, liquids, pastes, or aerosols for many countries. There may also be restrictions on partially empty containers. You should always pack ahead of time and keep your large items involving liquids inside your checked luggage.

  • Make sure to limit gels, pastes, liquids, and aerosol items to a maximum of 100 milliliters or 3.4 ounces.
  • Carry all the items in a single quart-size bag made of clear plastic with a zip-top.
  • During the security check, you can easily remove the quart-size bag and place it in a bin.

Gels, aerosols, liquids, and pastes comprise things such as creams, beverages, hair gel, shampoo, hair spray, toothpaste, suntan lotions, and any other items that have a similar consistency.

The TSA makes special provisions for necessary items like medications, formula or juice for infants, breast milk, and so on. You will be able to get a special screening for such items.

Carrying A Duty-Free Item

Certain countries have programs that allow you to purchase duty-free items. These are placed in specially sealed bags by the vendor. You will then be able to travel within that region or country while carrying the item with you or in your carry-on.

During your travel, you may need to go through a security check. In a country that does not recognize these programs, you may not be able to put the item in your checked baggage. At some places, they may even confiscate the item.

For more specific guidelines related to this, you can visit TSA  for the US, the United Kingdom’s Department for Transport, or the European Union’s European Commission.

Special Items

With Delta, you will be able to fly with special items such as strollers, children’s seats, medical equipment, sports equipment, bulky or oversized baggage, and much more. They will treat every single special item as one bag. Some of these items may incur an additional fee, while many items will not.

Do You Have a Special Item?

If you think you are carrying special baggage, you should meet with a Delta gate agent on arriving at the airport. The agent will help you to check in your special item. They will help you determine if additional fees are applicable for your oversized or overweight items.

You can determine whether your item is “special” based on the following factors:

  • If your bag has a unique shape or size
  • Your bag includes items that require special attention and care.
  • The weight of your bag exceeds 50 lbs (23 kg) or has a measurement higher than 62 linear inches (157 cm) (width + height + length)
  • If you are carrying equipment for musical instruments, sporting gears, medical assistance, children’s items, and so on

Examples of special items are:

  • Fragile, Bulky & Other Items
  • Children & Infant Items
  • Musical Instruments
  • Medical Supplies & Wheelchairs
  • Sporting Equipment
  • Perishables & Imported Merchandise

Prohibited Items

According to federal law and safety regulations, you won’t be allowed to carry certain items onboard your Delta flight. Make sure to get fully acquainted with the regulations and restrictions so that you do not face any problems on the day of travel. You can visit the TSA’s What Can I Bring page or the FAA’s Pack Safe page for the updated list of allowed items and not allowed for transport on a passenger aircraft.

The following items are prohibited at all times:

  • Meals Ready to Eat (MREs)
  • Aerosol products (such as cooking spray or anti-static spray)
  • Paints, stains, or lubricant
  • Bleach, drain cleaners, or pesticides
  • Gunpowder like Pyrodex, black powder, mace and pepper spray, or bear deterrent
  • Fireworks or explosives
  • Torch or blue flame lighters and all lighter refills
  • “Strike-anywhere” matches
  • Fuels (like gasoline or Sterno cans)
  • Items with refrigerants including refrigerators, air conditioners, freezers, or dehumidifiers
  • Hoverboards, balance gliders, self-balancing boards, or motorized riding suitcases that use lithium or lithium-ion batteries

 

Saving on Delta Airlines Checked Bag Fees

Baggage costs might make a sizable impact on your pocket if you are a frequent traveler. Luckily, there are specific tips that will help you reduce your baggage fees or avoid them altogether.

Get them reimbursed from your credit card.

Many credit card companies provide travel rewards cards that offer perks like reimbursement of baggage fees and other such travel-related perks. For example, Americal Express offers a Delta Air Lines travel card that includes free checked bags and others on your itinerary. You can contact your credit card company to find out whether they offered the baggage fee reimbursement. You can then take the necessary steps to get your account credited for those expenses.

Become a SkyTeam or SkyMiles member

Delta includes a SkyMiles loyalty program using which you can earn free checked bags depending on the tiers you are qualified for. If you use Delta for flying frequently, you should consider availing of this program so that you can take advantage of the free baggage and other flight perks. If you are a SkyTeam member, you can also earn free checked bags since Delta is one of the airlines that recognize this program.

Claim free baggage for active military

Delta is one of the many airlines that offer free checked bags for active United States military members. The specific allowances will depend on whether you are traveling for personal reasons, military orders, and the specific fare booked. Using this perk, you can expect to receive free checked bags of anything between two to five.

Keep your luggage limited to included checked bags.

If the fare you have purchased comes with free checked bags, you can avoid baggage costs by keeping your luggage limited to the number of free checked bags allowed. If you have booked an Economy fare that does not come with checked bags, you can avoid baggage fees by only including carry-on to your luggage. It will also save you some time as you will not have to wait at the baggage claim after your flight.

Conclusion – Bring Your First Checked Bag

Always refer to the rules and regulations laid down by the airlines and government bodies to make your boarding quick and easy and your travels safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How strict is Delta with carry-on size?

All the carry-on items should meet the regulations made by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). They should not exceed the size of 22″ x 14″ x 9″. The FAA also mandates that the carry-on items be stored securely in the storage compartment or kept under the seat.

2. Can I take a backpack and carry-on on Delta?

You can bring one carry-on item on the aircraft, followed by another personal item. We have mentioned the specific carry-on allowances in this article in detail.

If you are traveling on Delta Connection flights with 50 seats or less, you can carry personal items on board the aircraft. In case of limited under-seat space and overhead, the more oversized items will be tagged with a pink Gate Claim or a Planeside tag. They will be placed in the cargo bin. You can retrieve this baggage after deplaning.

3. Can 24-inch luggage be a carry-on?

No. The luggage would be exceeding the limitation of 22″ x 14″ x 9″ as mandated by the FAA.

4. How big can a carry-on be on Delta?

The carry-on items should be small enough to be stored securely inside the storage compartment or kept under the seat in front of you.

5 thoughts on “DELTA Airlines Carry On Sizes, Weight & Limits Guide [2021]”

  1. If you are practicing social distancing leaving an empty seat between passages you should allow two bags and a personal item like purse/briefcase/laptop for free.
    What a great gift of financial relief to offer your customers. You have room if you are still leaving an open seat between passages, and it would be a blessing to your customers who are already struggling to stay safe and germ free spending tons on wipes/sanitizer/mask.

    Reply
  2. I have been looking for a carry-on backpack. Most of the dimensions are similar to what is listed here. Some have part numbers to the 9 inches or 23 cm measurement. If the measurement is 9.5 or 9. 8 inches is this number still considered as meeting the 9″ qualification.

    They all say that they meet the size regulations for a carry-on according to the airline guidelines. Thank you for your information.

    Reply
  3. Hi
    I wanna to ask for the weight of the carry on allow by Delta air line and is it ok to get a small cross bag for the money and passport and another small backpack as well
    And please how much for the first lauggage o have to pay it in the airport
    And please I wanna to know which test exactly is allow to travel to the United States by Delta airline (is an antigen test is ok )
    Thank you very much and sorry for all these questions as I am so worry

    Reply

Leave a Comment